I love Cousin Jean’s scrapbook. To me, Cousin Jean was a mysterious figure who was always discussed with great reverence and awe. And her scrapbook has been just as awe-inspiring. Frank and Dora Bourscheidt built a home at 100 Fredonia Avenue in 1892, when Jean was just 17 years old. Set at Fredonia and University Avenues in Peoria, it was located at the top of a T-intersection.

Jean shows us three different times the neighbors came together to share a meal. They appear to be from the early 1900s based on the photos, fashion, writing, and Jean herself. Here, she notes the Wead, Todd, and Worthington families as their neighbors. Even with outdoor settings, the meals appear somewhat formal, with dishes, tablecloths, and more formal attire. These areas were extensions of the home, creating spaces where hospitality could flourish. Through regular contact with their neighbors, the Bourscheidt family was able to share traditions and develop a sense of belonging. The fact that Jean chose to preserve these meals in her scrapbook shows how meaningful these neighbors were to her.

Do you know your neighbors? My next-door neighbors speak Spanish and make everyday conversation a little harder to bridge. But it’s fun to hear their music, which seems to bring the street alive, and to catch the warm smells of the food they’re cooking as it fills the air. Even though Jean’s gatherings took place more than a century ago, it’s a reminder that sharing food, space, and simple moments with the people around us is still one of the most meaningful ways we build community.